Needling Apparatus

ABSTRACT

A non-woven multi-layered textile web having felt-like surface patterns is made by delivering a sequence of non-woven textile layers to a continuously rotating elongated drum. A plurality of needling units are angularly spaced about the circumference of the drum, each needling unit carrying a plurality of barbed needles arranged to impart a surface pattern upon reciprocation at predetermined intervals in a radial direction in a plane perpendicular to the drum axis for moving the needles into and out of peripheral grooves in the drum. In this manner, the needling units sequentially needle the layers and form the web with the patterns of superposed layers during the continuous rotation of the drum. The reciprocation of the needling units is preferably programmed.

United States Patent [191 D110 Oct. 7, 1975 [54] NEEDLING APPARATUS2,314,162 3/1943 Reinhardt 28/72.2 R 3,530,557 9/1970 Dilo l 28/4 R [75]Inventor: R'chard Eberbach (Neckar), 3,656,177 4/1972 Chung et al 28/4 RGermany [73] Assignee: Oskar Dilo KG, Eberbach (Neckar), imary xamierouis K. RimrOdt Germany Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Kurt Kelman [22]Filed: July 8, 1974 Appl. No.: 487,245

Related US. Application Data [57] ABSTRACT A non-woven multi-layeredtextile web having felt-like surface patterns is made by delivering asequence of non-woven textile layers to a continuously rotatingelongated drum. A plurality of needling units are angularly spaced aboutthe circumference of the drum, each needling unit carrying a pluralityof barbed needles arranged to impart a surface pattern uponreciprocation at predetermined intervals in a radial direction in aplane perpendicular to the drum axis for moving the needles into and outof peripheral grooves in the drum. In this manner, the needling unitssequentially needle the layers and form the web with the patterns ofsuperposed layers during the continuous rotation of the drum. Thereciprocation of the needling units is preferably programmed.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures US, Pamm Oct. 7,1975 Sheet 2 of3 3,909,891

.Il n

Fig.2

Sheet 3 0f 3 US, Patent Oct. 7,1975

NEEDLING APPARATUS This is a division of application Ser. No. 323,257,filed Jan. 12. 1973 now abandoned. i

The present invention relates to an apparatus for making a non-woventextile web having felt-like surface patterns.

Different surface patterns-may beimparted to nonwoven fibrous textilewebs by needle punching or needling with needling units carrying aplurality of needles arranged to impart a desired surface pattern,either by the arrangement of the needles in a desired array and- /or thegauge of the needles and/or the array of perforations or grooves in thesupport for the web during the needle punching or needling operation.Theneedling is effected by reciprocating the needling unit in respect ofthe web on the support so that the barbed needles pass through the webinto the perforationsor grooves of the support.. y i

In conventional needle punching arrangements of this general type, thereis little change in the surface patterning of the needled web.

It is a primary object of this invention to improve the needling ofnon-woven textile-webs so as to obtain a great variety of surfacepatterns while simultaneously improving the efficiency of the operationand producing a denser needled web. i

The above and other objects areaccomplished in accordance with theinvention by continuously moving the nonwoven textile web over a supportdefining a multiplicity of adjacent grooves and needling thecontinuously moving textile web at predetermined intervals, which arepreferably automatically programmed, to provide corresponding surfacepatterns thereon.

According toa preferred embodiment, a plurality of different non-woventextile layers, for instance layers of different color and/or differentweight or density, are sequentially delivered to the'support and thesequentially delivered layers are superposed on'the support to form theweb; the needling intervals occurring after each layer has beendelivered to the support whereby the superposed layers are needledtogether.

The apparatus of the present invention comprises a continuously rotatingelongated drum having'an axis and defining amultiplicityofcircumfcrcntial grooves, and a plurality of needlepunching or needling units angularly spaced about the circumference ofthe drum. Each needling unit carries a plurality of needles arranged toimpart a surface pattern, and means is provided for reciprocating eachneedling unit at predetermined intervals in aradial direction in a planeperpendicular to the drumaxis for moving the needles into and out of thecircumferential or annular grooves of the drum. A like plurality ofdelivery'means feeds a se quence of non-woven textile layerssubstantially tangentially to the continuously rotating drum forcontinuous movement therewith, each delivery means being arranged aheadof a corresponding needling unit associated therewith, in the directionof drum rotation. In this manner, the needling units sequentially needlethe layers and form the web with felt-like surface patterns ofsuperposed layers during the rotation of the drum The needles punchthrough the non-woven textile web only intermittently and at spacedapartintervals, the patterning being variable further by changing the spacedabout the circumference of the drum and associating a delivery means fora non-woven textile layer with each needling unit, it is possible tocombine a number of different layers into a single multi-layer web,

thus providing a higher quality and denser non-woven fibrous web. Eachneedling unit may be differently controlled so as to provide a greatvariety of patterns.

Since the path of the web on the drumsupport is arcuate, i.e., the websupport facing each needling unit is arcuate, a so-called filling effectis obtained in the production of looped or pile fabrics, i.e., uponreciprocation of the needling unit, the outermost barbed needles punchshorter loops out of the web than the center needles so that the shorterloops support the longer loops, thus stabilizing the entire loopstructure.

The above and other objects, advantages and features of the presentinvention will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription of a presently preferred embodiment thereof, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein FIG. I is a sideelevational view, partly in section, of an apparatus for making anon-woven textile web hav ing felt-like surface patterns; i

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view showing theneedle'punchingoperation of one of the needling units, indicated at A inFIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram schematically illustrating the programmedcontrol of the needle unit reciprocation.

Referring now to the drawing and first to FIG. I, there 'is shdwn aconventional continuously rotating elongated drum l'having an axisextending perpendicularly to the plane of the drawing and defining amultiplicity of adjacent circumferential grooves between axially spacedannular blades 3 mounted along the entire length of the tube 2. Such asupportdrum in an apparatus for needling non-woven textile webs isdescribed in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,530,557, dated Sept. 29, I970, andillustrated in a side view in FIG. 1 of the patent.

A plurality of needling units 4' are angularly spaced at predeterminedintervals about the circumference of the drum. In the illustratedembodiment, five needling units are spaced about 45 apart over half thecircumference of the drum. As is well known, each needling unitcomprises a needle beam 5 carrying a plurality of barbed needles6 and astripper 7. As is known, needling is effected by reciprocating theneedle beam, a crank drive being shown on each unit 4 to effectuatereciprocation. In accordance with the invention, the needling units arereciprocated in a radial direction in a plane perpendicular to the drumaxis.

The radial distance of each needling unit 4 from the surface of drum 1may beadjusted by affixing the unit to an adjusting means mounted onframe 8 of the apparatus, theillus'trated adjusting, means comprisingworm drives 9 radially moving threaded rods 10 connected to eachneedling unit. In this manner, the punchingdepth of the needles 6 ofeach needle punching unit 4 may be adjusted. I

As shown, desired patterns may be produced by mounting a reciprocatingmeans 1 1 between the adjusting means and the needling unit. Thus, whilethe crank drives of the needling units will continuously reciprocate theneedles, reciprocation of the entire units at predetermined intervalswill prevent the continuously reciprocating needles as such intervalsfrom pass through the web and to needle the same, thus providing thedesired patterns.

In the illustrated embodiment, the reciprocating means 11 for eachneedling unit comprises a pressure fluid operated motor, for instance apneumatically or hydraulically actuated cylinder-and-piston device, the

cylinder being mounted on a platform to which threaded "rods areattached while the piston rod is attached to the carrier of the crankdrive of unit 4.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, a programmedcontrol operates the reciproeating means 1] and thus controls thesurface patterns effectuatcd by the needling operation. Suitableprogramming units are commercially available and useful matrixprogramming units which interchangeable programming casettes areavailable, for instance, from K. A. Schmersal & Co., Wuppertal-Barmen,Germany, and are described in the companys pamphlet Mattenschaltwerke,"Liste P 6 Ausgabe G. Such programming units include endless chainscarrying pins in a predetermined array or matrix for actuating circuitelements in a programmed sequence. Changing the array or matrix changesthe program.

FIG. 3 illustrates diagrammatically how the motors ll of the needlingunits may be operated by a programmed control of this type, as will beexplained hereinafter. g

As shown in FIG. I, the apparatus of the present invention comprises thesame number of delivery means 12' and 12 as there are needling units 4for delivering a sequence of non-woven textile layers I3 and 13 to thecontinuously rotating drum 1 the textile layer being deliveredtangentiallyto the drum in the same direction as the direction ofthedrum rotation so that these layers are continuously moved over the drum,each delivery means being arranged, in the direction of drum rotation,ahead of a corresponding and associated needling unit 4. In this manner,the needling units sequentially needle the layers and form themulti-layer web 15 with felt-like surface patterns of superposed layersduring the drum rotation as the needles are moved through the layersinto and out of the circumferential grooves of the drum supporting thelayers.

If desired, the different layers may vary in color, fiber denienweightper area unit, etc, to provide any desired variation in the finished webof superposed layers.

As shown in FIG. 1, the first delivery means is a simple endlessconveyor band 12' feeding a base layer 13 to the rotating drum over aguide roller properly guiding the layer 13 onto the drum surface, thisbase layer being of tissue weight, if desired. After thisbase layer haspassed the first needling unit 4, the next non-woven textile layer I3 isfed from a supply roll 12 over a similar guide roller to the rotatingdrum, to be superposed on base layer 13, sequential layers 13 beingsimilarly delivered to the drum, passing sequential needling units andbeing formed into a multi-layer web 15 which is removed from the drum bynip rollers l4, 14.

As shown in FIG. 2, since all needles are of the same length, thearcuate shape of the drum support 1 causes the outermost needles 6 topenetrate less deeply into the drum grooves between annular blades 3 toform shorter loops 16 while the central needles 6" penetrate more deeplyto form longer loops 17. Thus, the needling operation punches loops ofdifferent lengths, the shorter loops I6 supporting the longer loops l7and thereby providing a filling effect. The resultant web is much morestable than needled webs produced on a flat support.

The above described and illustrated apparatus operates as follows:

As drum 1 is rotated clockwise, the layers 13 and 13 are deliveredthereto, superposed thereon and needled during the continuous movementof the superposed layers to combine them-into a multi-layer web, theneedled web 15 being continuously removed from the drum by rotating thefirst one of nip rollers 14 counterclockwise while the second niproller14 is rotated clockwise. A drive 18 is used to rotate the nip rollersand is synchronized with the programming unit by means of gearing 19operating chain-and-pulley drive 19 which operates meshing gears 19'.The gears 19" drive the shaft of one of the pulleys supporting endlessband 21 of programming unit 20 so that the band moves synchronously withdrive 18. The moving band 21 carries a suitable array of pins or earns22 for programming actuation of switches 24 and 25. The array or matrixof the pins or cams may be changed on the band to change the program. Apair of bell cranks levers 23 are arranged in the path of the pins orearns 22 to be selectively moved thereby and thus to actuate arespective one of switches 24 and 25. The switches are connectedrespectively to a source of power and to a respective coil u and I) offour-way solenoid valve 26. The solenoid valve is mounted in thehydraulic circuit A, B supplying operating fluid to reciprocating motorsThus, as illustrated, if the programming earns 22 contact and move thelever 23 which actuates switch 24, the latter closes the control circuitleading to coil b of solenoid valve 26, which is connected to switch 24,thus opening the passages P-A and T-B in the valve and causing motors 11to move the needle punching units 11 so far away from the circumferenceof the drum 1 that the needles 6 will not punch through the web on thedrum while being reciprocated by their crank drives. On the other hand,when another set of cams 22 moves the other lever 23 which actuatesswitch 25, the latter will close the control circuit leading to coil aof valve 26 so that the passages are switched to P-B and T-A, causingthe needling units 4 to be lowered sufficiently to cause thereciprocating needles to punch through the web. I

As indicated by the arrows beyond valve 26, lines A and B of thehydraulic circuit lead to a suitable supply of hydraulic fluid (notshown).

Since the speed of withdrawal or take-up of the web is synchronouslycoupled with the speed of movement of band 21 of the programming unit,increased speed of rotation of nip rollers 14,14 will automaticallyincrease the speed of movement of programming band 21. The program maybe changed not only be a change in the matrix of cams 22 but also byadjusting the variahle gearing 19.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for making a non-woven textile web having feltlikesurface patterns comprising 1. a continuously rotating elongated drumhaving an axis and defining a-multiplicity of adjacent circumferentialgrooves. a plurality of needling units angularly spaced aboutcorrespondingly spaced arcuate circumferential sectorslof the drum. eachneedling unit carrying a plurality of needlesarranged to impart asurface pattern. l v means for reciprocating each of the needling unitsat predetermined intervals in a radial direction in a planeperpendicular to the drum axis for moving the needles into and out ofthe circumferential grooves of the drum in the corresponding arcuatesector thereof. and

4. a like plurality of means arranged to deliver a sequence of non-woventextile layers tangentially to the continuously rotating drum and torespective ones of the arcuate sectors thereof, each delivery meansbeing arranged ahead of a corresponding one of the drum. whereby theneedling units sequentially needle the layers and form the web withfelt-like surface patterns of superposed ones of said layers during thecontinuous rotation of the drum means.

5. The apparatus of claim'4, further comprising nip roller meansarranged to remove the web continuously from the rotating drum, and adrive for rotating the nip roller means; the programmed controlcomprising an endless band, means for driving the endless bandsynchronously with the drive, and an array of programming cam means onthe endless band; the reciprocating means comprising a pressure fluidoperated motor and a hydraulic circuit for supplying hydraulic operatingfluid to the motor; and the programmed control further comprisingsolenoid valve means in the hydraulic circuit and means for actuatingthe valve means in response to the programming cam means on the drivenendless band. I

1. An apparatus for making a non-woven textile web having feltlikesurface patterns, comprising
 1. a continuously rotating elongated drumhaving an axis and defining a multiplicity of adjacent circumferentialgrooves.
 2. a plurality of needling units angularly spaced aboutcorrespondingly spaced arcuate circumferential sectors of the drum, eachneedling unit carrying a plurality of needles arranged to impart asurface pattern,
 3. means for reciprocating each of the needling unitsat predetermined intervals in a radial direction in a planeperpendicular to the drum axis for moving the needles into and out ofthe circumferential grooves of the drum in the corresponding arcuatesector thereof, and
 4. a like plurality of means arranged to deliver asequence of non-woven textile layers tangentially to the continuouslyrotating drum and To respective ones of the arcuate sectors thereof,each delivery means being arranged ahead of a corresponding one of thedrum, whereby the needling units sequentially needle the layers and formthe web with felt-like surface patterns of superposed ones of saidlayers during the continuous rotation of the drum as the needles aremoved through the layers into and out of the circumferential grooves ofthe drum supporting the layers.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, furhtercomprising means for adjusting the radial distance of each of saidneedling units from the surface of the drum.
 2. a plurality of needlingunits angularly spaced about correspondingly spaced arcuatecircumferential sectors of the drum, each needling unit carrying aplurality of needles arranged to impart a surface pattern,
 3. means forreciprocating each of the needling units at predetermined intervals in aradial direction in a plane perpendicular to the drum axis for movingthe needles into and out of the circumferential grooves of the drum inthe corresponding arcuate sector thereof, and
 3. The apparatus of claim2, wherein the reciprocating means comprises a pressure fluid operatedmotor mounted between the adjusting means and the needling unit.
 4. alike plurality of means arranged to deliver a sequence of non-woventextile layers tangentially to the continuously rotating drum and Torespective ones of the arcuate sectors thereof, each delivery meansbeing arranged ahead of a corresponding one of the drum, whereby theneedling units sequentially needle the layers and form the web withfelt-like surface patterns of superposed ones of said layers during thecontinuous rotation of the drum as the needles are moved through thelayers into and out of the circumferential grooves of the drumsupporting the layers.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, furhter comprisingmeans for adjusting the radial distance of each of said needling unitsfrom the surface of the drum.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, furthercomprising a programmed control for operating the reciprocating means.5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising nip roller meansarranged to remove the web continuously from the rotating drum, and adrive for rotating the nip roller means; the programmed controlcomprising an endless band, means for driving the endless bandsynchronously with the drive, and an array of programming cam means onthe endless band; the reciprocating means comprising a pressure fluidoperated motor and a hydraulic circuit for supplying hydraulic operatingfluid to the motor; and the programmed control further comprisingsolenoid valve means in the hydraulic circuit and means for actuatingthe valve means in response to the programming cam means on the drivenendless band.